Bye, Kai? Cowboys land top target Greg Zuerlein at kicker

Kai Forbath was perfect last year for Dallas, but Zuerlein is preferred today.

NEW ORLEANS - JAN. 20: Greg Zuerlein (4) of the LA Rams celebrates with Johnny Hekker (6) after kicking a field goal to force overtime against the Saints in the NFC Championship Game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Jan. 20, 2019, in New Orleans. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)

Last week, Kai Forbath agreed to a one-year contract with hopes of being the Cowboys’ kicker in 2020.

He almost certainly won’t be.

Dallas landed its primary target at the position Thursday, reaching a three-year, $7.5 million contract with Greg Zuerlein. It includes $2.25 million guaranteed, a source said, and dwarfs the deal Forbath just received.

A person familiar with Forbath’s signed contract said the terms are a minimum salary of $1.05 million and a $137,500 signing bonus. No other amount is guaranteed.

For added context, long snapper L.P. Ladouceur received the exact same terms but had $750,000 of his salary fully guaranteed.

There’s no confusing where things stand here.

The Cowboys currently have two veteran kickers on their roster. Zuerlein is the one they’re counting on.

The team entered free agency courting Zuerlein and Forbath. Zuerlein topped the wish list, but his price was steeper than the front office was comfortable investing at the position. So, the club re-signed Forbath, who has a steady if not overly strong leg and who showed well during a three-game audition to close last season.

A couple errant kickoffs aside, Forbath couldn’t have performed much better. He made all 10 of his field goal attempts, including seven from between 40 and 49 yards. His predecessor Brett Maher struggled mightily in 13 games at that same range, making 1 of 5.

So, Forbath it was.

Until it wasn’t.

As time passed, Zuerlein’s price lowered, changing the dynamic of the pursuit. His strong relationship with new Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel ultimately attracted him to Dallas.

Fassel was hired as the Los Angeles Rams special teams coordinator in 2012. He then handpicked and vouched for Zuerlein, whom the Rams drafted in the sixth round.

The pair spent eight seasons together in St. Louis and Los Angeles.

When hired in Dallas, Fassel vouched for Zuerlein again.

The statistics don’t exactly scream for Zuerlein to be the runaway choice over Forbath. Yes, Zuerlein has a stronger leg for kickoffs and long-range attempts. Yes, he earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections in 2017 when converting a fantastic 38 of 40 field goals.

But Zuerlein has made 76.7% of career field-goal attempts from 40 to 49 yards and 60% from 50-plus yards. Forbath’s totals are 87.8% and 66.7%, respectively. Injuries hampered Zuerlein last year when he converted a career-low 72.7% of his tries. He and Forbath are both 32.

If these statistics suggest a level-field competition is ahead during training camp, the contracts paint a different picture.

Those numbers speak loudest.

The Cowboys have a third kicker, 23-year-old Tristan Vizcaino, on their roster. They seem unlikely to carry all three into camp.

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Michael Gehlken. Michael Gehlken joined the Cowboys beat for the Dallas Morning News in August 2019. This marks his 11th season covering the NFL, previously having reported on the Chargers and Raiders.